Paper feeding means in accounting machines



C. A. PARKER ET AL PAPER FEEDING MEANS IN ACCOUNTING MACHINES OriginalFiled June 14. 1949 Feb. 22, 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet l cn ARLQA Feb. 22,1955 c. A. PARKER L 2,702,622

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PAPER FEEDING MEANS IN ACCOUNTING MACHINES Original Filed June 14. 19497 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TORS Feb. 22, 1955 c. A. PARKER ET AL 2,702,622

PAPER FEEDING MEANS IN ACCOUNTING MACHINES Original Filed. June 14. 19497 Sheets-Sheet 4 z ji ui IN VEN TORS.

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PAPER FEEDING MEANS IN ACCOUNTING MACHINES Original Filed June 14. 19497 Sheets-Sheet 6 mun n 2/ I IN V EN TOR5. CbAALES A- PARKER By CL/FTO/Vx. RAM/E] Qua/van 1 00% HT TORNEY.

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PAPER FEEDING MEANS IN ACCOUNTING MACHINES Original Filed June 14. 19497 Sheets-Sheet 7 Dan/ m 0W ATTORNEY.

United States Patent PAPER FEEDING MEAN S lN ACCOUNTING MACHINES CharlesA. Parker, Chicago, 111., and Clifton K. Rainey, Knoxville, Tenn.,assignors, by mesne assignments, to Burroughs Corporation, a corporationof Michigan Original application June 14, 1949, Serial No. 99,081.Divided and this application August 17, 1951, Serial No. 242,288

12 laims. (Cl. l97128) This invention relates to accounting machines. Itprovides a single machine operative under selective control to functionas either a typing machine, a posting machine, or a calculating machine,in which all typing and all calculator indexing operations are governedfrom a common, single keyboard. Incidental to the performance of itsvarious functions, the machine embodies the usual manual and automaticcontrols of known typewriting, posting, and calculating machines; andadditionally includes novel manual as well as automatic controls forconditioning the machine, at the will of an operator, either to carryout or to exclude, during the performance of one of its functions, theperformance of all or part of its other functions.

This application is a division of our copending application Serial No.99,081 filed June 14, 1949.

An object of this invention is to provide in an accounting machinehaving a paper carriage thereon and a front feed bail, a locking devicefor retaining said bail in closed position, controlled by an operatingmember within the machine during a portion of its cycle of operation.

Another object is to provide an accounting machine having a papercarriage with a front feed device with a means for closing said deviceupon movement of the operating member within the machine.

A further object is to provide in an accounting machine having acarriage thereon, a single bail movable on the carriage by the operatingmember within the machine to close the front feed device, to lock thefront feed device in its closed position during a portion of a cycle ofoperation, and to operate a line space mechanism for paper feedingduring a cycle of operation.

These and other objects of this invention will hereinafter appear, andfor purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, an embodiment isshown in the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine;

Figure 2 is a side elevation with the front part of the main frameremoved for illustration of detail;

Figure 3 is a vertical section substantially through the machine and thecontrol plate;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section substantially on the line 44 of Figure1;

Figure 5 is an elevation of detail shown in Figure 4;

Figures 6, 7 and 8 are, respectively, detail views of the front feedbail lock mechanism;

Figure 9 is a section on line 99 of Figure 4, and

Figure 10 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the structure illustratedin Figure 9.

As indicated generally in Figures 1 and 2, the apparatus essentiallycomprises a main frame 40 of the general form and structure of atypewriter frame, being provided with a keyboard and having a carriageassembly C mounted on the frame for reciprocation in the usual manner oftypewriter and posting machine carriage operation.

The machine is equipped with a bank of front strike type bars 41operated from keys 42 for front strike visible printing at a pointdetermined by a type guide 43 which forms part of a hammer member 44that operates in a manner later described to effect a common strikingmovement against a properly positioned series of adding type bars whenthey are disposed for printing. The keyboard has the usual spacer 45and, at the right hand side of the frame, a motor bar 46. On the lefthand side of the frame is disposed a tabulator bar 47. The front plateof the frame mounts keys for controlling the functions of 2,702,622Patented Feb. 22, 1955 calculating mechanism generally indicated at A.These keys at the right hand side of the frame comprise an adding key48, a total key 49, a subtotal key 50 and, at the left hand side of theframe, a subtract key 51. The type guide 43 establishes the printingpoint and establishes also the decimal point for item printing in thecalculating machine operation. The carriage is provided at its left handend with a forwardly directed return handle 52 which is substantially ofconventional design and which may be rotated to effect line spacing inthe usual manner of such devices.

The carriage assembly incorporates a novel front feed arrangementincluding a paper positioning bail, and associated mechanism that isoperative with a three-fold function: (1) to lock the front feed againstopening during an operating cycle of the machine, (2) to operate theline spacing mechanism, provided the appropriate control is in position,and (3) to close the front feed at the start of an operating cycle.

An essential part of the machine is embodied in a driven reciprocableelement which operates through a defined cycle between limit positionsin one of which it is at rest, under the influence of motor means toaccomplish many functions and to effect the positioning and actuation ofthe various members and instrumentalities by which the differentoperations of the associated mechanisms are carried out. This member,herein referred to as an operating frame generally designated at 0,provides for the actuation of the various instrumentalities after themachine has been conditioned for their proper sequential operation. Itis an important aspect of this invention that, for the greater part, theoperation of the various levers, detents, and actuators is under theinfluence of springs, whereby the various elements are biased or urgedinto operating movement that is normally restrained by the withholdingaction of other elements movable under the influence of the operatingframe to permit operation of the various levers, detents, and actuatorsunder the influence of their springs. This relieves the motor of a veryconsiderable load, and not only assures fast, smooth operation of themachine but also eliminates to a major extent any possibility ofbreakage in the event of jamming. Should something occur to jam anyparts of the mechanism, the affected parts will not be moved under aforce greater than that exerted by their associated springs.

Line spacing mechanism With reference to Figure 3, it will be seen thatthe control plate 59 mounts the line spacer detent 63 for verticaloscillation through a receiving slot provided in the plate. This detent63 comprises a transversely extended lever that is fulcrumed at one endto pivot on the shaft 297 with the body of the lever extendingtransversely in the assembly longitudinally beneath the under surface ofthe control plate. Spring means 363 is utilized to position the detentlever 63 normally elevated in its receiving control plate slot with itspawl tip 63' in its extreme elevated position. The spring 363 isanchored at one end to a pin extending laterally from one end of thedetent lever 63 and is connected at its other end to a point ofattachment on a fixed element on the underside of the control plate 59.As shown in Figure 4, the bottom edge of the detent lever 63 has avertically depending portion 364 that is formed with a rearwardly andhorizontally directed lip 365. The lip 365, as best shown in Figure 9,has a stepped rear edge providing a shoulder 366 and a curved portion367 extending from the shoulder to the adjacent edge of the lip.Normally, with the detent lever 63 positioned with its pawl tip inelevated position, the lip 365 is so disposed that its shoulder 366 isspaced forwardly of and in the path of movement of an upstanding stud368 carried by a horizontal rocker 369 loosely pivoted at one end on avertical shaft 370 which is disposed within a vertical tubular housing371 secured at its upper end to the control plate 59. The shaft 370extends at both ends beyond the adjacent ends of its fixed tubularmounting housing 371. The lower end of this shaft has fixed thereto forrotation therewith a collar 372 formed with an integral horizontalradial arm 373 that lies immediately beneath the rocker 369, extendingin the same direction as the rocker. The forward side edge portion ofthe arm 373 extends forwardly with respect to the adjacent forward sideedge of the rocker 369 which immediately overlies it. In the clearancethus provided the arm 373 carries an attached upstanding stud 374 whichforms a point of anchorage at one end of a retracting spring 375 that isconnected at its other end to a point of attachment 376 on the upperface of the rocker 369. The bias of spring 375 acts to urge the rockerand the underlying arm together in vertical registry to the limitpermitted by engagement of the stud 374 against the adjacent forwardside edge of the rocker. The rocker 369 has a straight edge portion 377that is normally biased into contact with an upright 378 fixed to theleft side plate L of the operating frame. The upper end of the shaft 370extends above the plane of the top face of the control plate 59, asshown in Figures 4 and 5, and has fixed thereon for rotation therewith aradially extending arm 379 which carries an upstanding stud 380.

As shown in Figure 5, the end plates 54 of the carriage journaltransversely between them adjacent their upper rear ends a transverselyextending rod 381 which, at each end inside the adjacent plate 54, hasfixed thereto for rotation therewith a swinging frame. This frameincludes the rod 381 and depending side links 382 that are rigidlyconnected at their lower ends by a transversely disposed bottom rod 383which bears against the upstanding stud 380 of the arm 379. The framelink 382 at the left end of the carriage has pivotal connection 384intermediate its ends with the rear end of a throw link 385 whichextends forwardly in parallel relation to the carriage end plate andcarries at its forward upturned end a pawl 386. This pawl is adapted toengage the teeth of a ratchet wheel 387 which forms a part of theconventional line spacer mechanism common to typing machines. Theratchet wheel is secured to the adjacent end of the carriage platen. Aretracting spring 388, connected between a point of attachment on theshank of the throw link 385 and a point of anchorage 389 on the adjacentend plate 54 of the carriage, normally biases the throw link forwardlyto exert a pull on its connection 384 with the frame side link 382. Thisforward pull urges the bottom rod 383 of the frame forcibly against theupstanding stud 380 and rocks the shaft 370 in a directioncounterclockwise, with respect to Figure 9, so that the arm 373 whichunderlies the rocker 369 is normally held against, or in the path ofmovement of, the upright 378 on the operating frame. By bias of thespring 375 the loosely mounted rocker 369 also is urged against theoperating framecarried upright 378 or into the path of movement of theupright When the operating frame moves rearwardly.

With reference to Figures 5 and 9, when the operating frame movesforwardly in the first half of its cycle the upright 378 movessufliciently far forward to clear the adjacent end of the rocker 369 andpermit a counterclockwise movement of the rocker, relative to Figure 9,to the point at which it is arrested by engagement of its stud 368against the shoulder 366 of the line spacer detent lever portion 365.Unless the pawl of the detent lever 63 has been depressed, the lip 365holds the rocker 369 against further rocking movement. Should the linespacer detent pawl be depressed through engagement by an appropriate oneof the lugs 57 on the phase changing member P, the downward movement ofthe lever at its pawl end acts to shift the lip 365 laterallysufliciently far to move the shoulder 366 from the path of travel of therocker-carried stud 368. This stud then is free to move withouthindrance from the lever-carried lip. With the freedom of movement thusprovided the rocker 369 swings counterclockwise behind the forwardlymoving operating frame-carried upright 378. In this movement it carrieswith it the underlying arm 373 that is attached to the shaft 370, sothat the shaft is rocked by the pressure of the bottom rod 383 of theswinging frame against the stud 380 under the pull of spring 388. Themovement thus provided carries the throw link 385 forwardly to a pointat which the tip of its pawl 386 is positioned to engage a tooth of theratchet wheel 387.

When the operating frame moves rearwardly in the second half of itscycle its upright 378 cams against the rocker 369 and rocks the sameclockwise, with respect to Figure 9, moving it back to its initialposition. The bias of spring 375 holds the shaft arm 373 tightlyassociated with the rocker so that it moves with the rocker to rock theshaft 370 and, through the arm 379 and stud 380 at its upper end, tomove the bottom rod 383 rearwardly against tension of the spring 388.This movement carries the rod 383 to its normal position, as shown inFigure 4. in the course of this movement the throw link 385 is pulledrearwardly to act through its pawl 386 and its engagement with the linespacer ratchet wheel 387 to actuate the mechanism for one line space,until the tip of the pawl 386 is lifted out of engagement with theratchet wheel teeth as it rides up on the riser portion 390 of a fixedcam secured to an element of the carriage. The mechanism will thus havebeen manipulated to effect one line spacing operation.

The front feed bail lock A part of the mechanical movement resultingfrom the operation just described is utilized to effect locking of thefront feed bail against opening. This bail, indicated generally at 391,is constructed in accordance with the disclosure in the copendingapplication of Clifton King Rainey, Serial No. 580,117, filed February28, 1945, now Patent No. 2,598,939. Briefly described, it consists ofvertical end pieces 392 connected at their upper ends by a transversehandle rod 393 and pivoted at their lower ends on the platen shaft 394.The bail carries a transverse bracing shaft 395 disposed transverselybetween its endpieces above the platen and which provides a bearing forthe plurality of feed rolls 396, best shown in Figure 1. After the bailhas been opened to admit insertion of the paper and has been returned topaper-holding position, it is highly desirable that it be held againstany possibility of being moved to open position during a cycle of theoperating frame.

At the right hand end of the carriage, see Figures 6-8, the frame link382 has pivotally mounted on its bottom rod 383 a right angled actuator397. This actuator has a forwardly and downwardly inclined link arm 398and a substantially vertically disposed short arm 399. The short arm ispivoted at its free end on the bottom rod 383 of the swinging framecomprised of the side links 382 and the rods 381 and 383. Retractingspring means 400, connected between an intermediate portion of the longarm 398 of the actuator and a point of anchorage on the adjacent link382 intermediate the ends of the link, provides a bias normally urgingthe actuator 397 in a direction to rock on its pivot whereby to elevateits forward arm 398. Upward movement of the arm 398 is limited by afixed stop 401 that extends laterally from the adjacent carriage endplate 54 and overrides the edge 402 of a longitudinally disposed recessprovided in the shank of the actuator and opening to its top edge.Forwardly, beyond the front end of the recess 402, the actuator armcarries a fixed lateral pin 403 that underlies the bottom edge of asubstantially V-shaped latch member 404 having divergent upper and lowerarms 405 and 406. The latch member is pivotally mounted at its apex onthe adjacent carriage end plate on a fulcrum stud 407 carried by the endplate. A retracting spring 408 connected between a stud 409 on the latchand a point of attachment on the adjacent carriage end plate normallybiases the latch to swing vertically downward so that its bottom edge,which is the bottom of the lower short arm 406, normally bears upon theunderlying pin 403 of the actuator 397. In the normal position of theparts, as shown in Figure 7, the latch 405 is held upwardly byengagement of the actuator pin 403 against the bottom edge of the shortarm of the latch at a point spaced inwardly of its front end. In thisposition of the parts the operating frame is in its normal position ofrest. With the latch thus held in raised position the front feed bail392 may be rocked on its platen shaft fulcrum to open or closed positionwith perfect freedom of movement.

At the start of a cycle of the operating frame, the limited movementpermitted by the following action of the rocker 369, see Figure 9,moving behind the forwardly advancing upright 378 of the operatingframe, carries the rocker stud 368 into engagement with the shoulder 366of the line spacer detent lever lip 365. If this lip is not moved out ofthe path of travel of the stud 368, as it may be through operation ofthe mechanism previously described, the stud is arrested at its point ofengagement with the lip shoulder and the swinging frame, having the sidelinks 382, will only be moved forwardly to the limited extent permittedby its engagement against the upstanding stud 380 of the rock shaft 370.This limited movement is sulficient to advance the fulcrum point of thelower end of the actuator 397 and correspondingly to carry forward thearm 398 of the actuator until its pin 403 clears the shoulder 410 formedat the inner end of the reduced tip 411 of the latch arm 406. When thisoccurs the latch rocks downwardly on its fulcrum 407 and its free arm405 then moves into holding engagement with an element of the front feedbail. This element comprises a laterally directed stud 412 mounted on abail end piece. When the latch drops down the stud 412 is received in akeeper slot 413 opening from the bottom edge of the upper arm of thelatch at its forward end, as best shown in Figure 6. This engagement ofkeeper slot and bail stud locks the front feed bail against anypossibility of rocking on its fulcrum to open after initiation ofmovement of the operating frame and until the operating frame returns toits normal position at the end of its cycle. As the operating framereaches the rearward limit of its second half cycle its upstanding stud378 cams the rocker 369 rearwardly, which operates, through themovements previously described, to rock the shaft 370 so that its stud380 bears against the bottom rod 383 of the swinging frame and carriesrearwardly the actuator 397; whereby the pin 403 on its forward arm camsagainst the inclined shoulder 410 of the latch and rides beneath thebottom edge of the latch to rock it on its fulcrum so that its upper armlifts sufiiciently to clear the keeper slot 413 from its engagement withthe bail stud 412, whereupon the ball is again in condition for openingand closing.

Means is provided for automatically closing the front feed bail in theevent that it be open or not fully closed when the motor bar is trippedto start a cycle of the operating frame. The right hand end piece 392 ofthe front feed bail is formed at its lower end with a nose 414 whichcarries a lateral stud 415 that is adapted to be engaged with alaterally directed car 416 which projects from the front end of theforward arm 398 of the actuator 397. When the front feed bail is infully opened position, as shown in Figure 8, its nose stud 415 abuts thecar 416 on the actuator and carries the actuator rearwardly to move thebottom rod 383 of the swinging frame rearwardly. This bottom bar isconstantly engaged along its rear side against an upstanding fingerpiece 417 that is integral with a horizontal plate 418 which, as shownin Figure 10, is formed as a lever pivoted at one end on a fulcrum mount419 to oscillate in a horizontal plane on the upper face of the controlplate 59. The fulcrum 419 is carried by the control plate and functionsalso as a fulcrum for a vertically disposed lever plate 420 whichoscillates beneath the control plate in a horizontal plane. The upperlever plate 418 has a vertically depending flange 421 on its rear edgewhich mounts an adjustable stop member 422 provided with a forwardlyextending shank that serves at its forward end as a stop engageable bythe plate lever 420 to limit or define the spacing between the lever 420and the flange 421 of the upper plate lever. A retracting spring 423connected between the flange 421 and the body of the plate lever 420normally biases the two plate levers into converging relation that islimited only by the adjustment of the stop member 422. As shown inFigure 9, the lower free end portion of the vertical plate lever 420 isformed with a forwardly directed cam tip 424 obtusely angled relative tothe body of the lever 420 to angle inwardly slightly across and abovethe left hand side plate L of the operating frame. When the front feedbail is moved to open position, the resulting rearward movement of therod 383 of the swinging frame, as previously described, carries theupstanding finger 417 rearwardly to the positions, shown in Figures 8and 10. The finger 417 carries the horizontal plate lever 418 rearwardlyto rock on its fulcrum 419, and through the pull of the spring 423 itcorrespondingly pulls rearwardly on the plate lever 420 whereby todispose its cam tip 424 in the position shown in Figure 9, with the bodyof the lever contacting the front vertical edge of the operatingframe-carried upright 378.

When the operating frame moves forward at the start of its cycle itsupright 378 cams the lever tip 424 forwardly and laterally outward,thereby to rock the lever 420 on its fulcrum and correspondingly pullforward the depending flange 421 of the upper plate lever 418. This'movement correspondingly advances the finger 417 forwardly and movesthe swinging frame rod 383 forwardly so that the actuator 397 is carriedforward. In this forward movement of the actuator its ear 416 abuttingthe nose stud 415 of the front feed bail rocks the bail on its platenshaft fulcrum so that it is forced into closed position. Thus, it willbe evident that even though the bail be fully open or incompletelyclosed when the operating frame starts forward, the mechanism justdescribed automatically insures that the front feed bail be moved toclosing position sufficiently far that the continuance of closing actionis taken over by the conventional counterbalance and spring assembly ofpaper-holding bail mech anism, not here shown.

When the front feed bail is closed the finger 417 of the plate lever 418is at its forward position as shown in Figure 7. In this position theplate lever 420 is also disposed so that its cam tip 424 is at one sideof the path of movement of the operating frame-carried upright 378.

It will be understood that numerous changes may be made in the detailsof construction, arrangement, and operation without departing from thespirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. In an accounting machine having a main frame, a carriage and a platenon said carriage, a front feed paper holder comprising a bail pivoted onthe platen to oscillate between open and closed positions, a stud onsaid bail, a latching lever pivoted on the carriage and having a recessin a portion thereof in position to receive said stud when the bail isin closed position, means constantly urging the latching lever to pivotin the direction for receiving said stud in the recess to latch saidbail, a control lever reciprocable during a cycle of operation of theaccounting machine, an extension on said latching lever having a camsurface operatively engaging said control lever whereby the latchinglever is normally cammed out of latching position and is released formovement towards latching position during an initial portion of thecycle of operation.

2. In an accounting machine having a main frame, a carriage, a platen onsaid carriage, and a front feed paper holder pivoted to oscillatebetween open and closed positions, a bail mounted in the frame tooscillate during a cycle of operation, a control lever pivoted at oneend upon the bail for imparting reciprocable movement to the controllever during a cycle of operation, a ratchet wheel rotatable with theplaten, a pawl on the end of the control lever in position to engage theratchet wheel, means constantly urging the control lever in thedirection to bring the pawl into engagement with the teeth of theratchet wheel whereby the ratchet wheel is turned stepwise uponreciprocal movement of the control lever to impart line spacing, asecond control lever pivotally mounted at one end on the bail forsimultaneous reciprocal movement during a cycle of operation of themachine, an abutment extending from the front feed paper holder into thepath of the second control lever when the holder is in open positionwhereby the abutment is displaced by the second control lever during aninitial portion of the cycle of operation to rock the holder to closedposition.

3. In an accounting machine having a main frame, a carriage, a platen onsaid carriage, and a front feed paper holder pivoted on the platen tooscillate between open and closed positions, a bail mounted in the frameto oscillate forward and back during a cycle of operation of themachine, a control lever pivotally mounted at one end on the bail forreciprocable movement during oscillation thereof, a ratchet wheelrotatable with the platen, a pawl on the end of the control lever inposition operatively to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel, springmeans constantly urging the control lever to bring the pawl intoengagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel whereby the wheel isturned stepwise upon re ciprocal movement of the control lever to effectline spacing, a second control lever pivotally mounted on the bail forsimultaneous reciprocal movement during a cycle of operation of themachine, a stud on the holder, a latching lever pivotally mounted on thecarriage having a recess for receiving the stud in latching positionwhen said latching lever is rocked to latching position while the holderis in closed position, means constantly urging the latching lever torock towards latching position and into operative engagement with thesecond control lever,

cam surfaces between the second control lever and the ing lever isreleased for rocking movement to latching position during an initialportion of the cycle of operation of the machine and is cammed out oflatching position at the end portion of the cycle.

4. In an accounting machine having a main frame, a carriage, a platen onsaid carriage, and a front feed paper holder pivoted on the platen tooscillate between open and closed positions, a bail mounted in the frameto oscillate forward and back during a cycle of operation of themachine, a first control lever pivoted at one end upon the bail forreciprocable movement during oscillation of the bail, a ratchet wheelrotatable with the platen, a pawl on the end of the control lever inposition operatively to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel, meansconstantly urging the first control lever in the direction to bring thepawl into operative engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheelwhereby the ratchet wheel is caused to operate stepwise responsive toreciprocal movement of the control lever during a cycle of operation, asecond control lever pivotally mounted on the bail for simultaneousreciprocal movement during a cycle of operation of the machine, anabutment extending from the front feed paper holder into the path of thesecond control lever when in open position whereby the abutment isdisplaced by the second control lever during an initial portion of thecycle of operation to rock the holder to closed position, a stud on theholder, a latching lever pivotally mounted on the carriage for rockingmovement between latching and unlatching position and having a recessfor receiving said stud when rocked to latching position while theholder is in closed position, means constantly urging the latching leverto rock toward latching position and into operative engagement with thesecond control lever whereby the latching lever is guided for rockingmovement to latching position during an initial portion of the cycle ofoperations following return of the holder to closed position and iscammed out of latching position during the end portion of the cycle ofoperation.

5. In an accounting machine, a main frame, a platen on said main frame,a front feed paper holder including a bail mounted for free pivotalrocking movement between open and closed positions, a latching mechanismshiftable between an unlatching position and a position for latchingengagement with the bail when the latter is in closed position, meansbiasing the latching means toward latching position, a link shiftablebetween normal and operated positions during a cycle of operation of themachine, means on said bail lying in the path of said link for rockingsaid bail to closed position upon engagement during movement of saidlink to operated position, and an operative connection between said linkand said latching mechanism for releasing same for movement to latchingposition during movement of said link to operated position and foractuating same to unlatching position to release the bail during returnmovement to normal position.

6. In an accounting machine, a main frame, a platen on said main frame,a front feed paper holder including a bail pivotally mounted for freerocking movement between open and closed positions, a latching mechanismshiftable between unlatching position and a position for latching thebail when the latter is in closed position, means biasing the latchingmechanism toward latching position, a link shiftable between normal andoperated positions during a cycle of operation of the machine, means onsaid bail lying in the path of said link for rocking said bail to closedposition upon engagement during movement of said link to operatedposition, and an operative connection between said link and saidlatching mechanism for releasing same for movement to latching positionduring movement of said link to operated position and for camming saidlatching mechanism out of latching position during return of said linktoward normal position.

7. in an accounting machine, a main frame, a platen on said main frame,a front feed paper holder including a bail pivotally mounted for freerocking movement between open and closed positions, a latching armshiftable between unlatching position and a position for latchingengagement with the bail when the latter is in closed position, meansbiasing the latching arm toward latching position, a link shiftablebetween normal and operated positions during a cycle of operation of themachine, means on said bail lying in the path of said link for rockingsaid bail to closed position upon engagement during movement of saidlink to operated position, and an operative connection between said linkand said latching arm for releasing same for movement to latchingposition responsive to movement of said link to operated positionsubsequent to engagement with said bail for rocking same to closedposition and to release the bail during return movement to normalposition.

8. In an accounting machine having a main frame, a carriage, a platen onsaid carriage, a front feed paper holder comprising a bail freelyshiftable between open and closed position, a line space mechanism onthe carriage for step by step movement of the platen, a swinging framemovable on said carriage to operate said line space mechanism, acyclically operated member in the main frame, mechanism between thecyclically operated member and the swinging frame to impart movement tothe swinging frame during a cycle of operation, and a means operable bysaid swinging frame upon movement by the cyclically operated membertoward operation of the line space mechanism to move front feed paperhail from open to closed position during a portion of the movement ofthe swinging frame.

9. In an accounting machine, a main frame, a platen on said main frame,a front feed paper holder including a bail pivoted to rock between openand closed positions, line space mechanism on said frame for stepwiserotation of said platen, latching mechanism biased for movement towardlatching position to hold said bail when in closed position, link meansshiftable from normal position to operated position and back during acycle of operation of the machine, means associated with said link meansfor operatively engaging said bail latching means and line spacemechanism selectively to effect operation of same during movement in acycle of operation in sequence to rock the bail to closed position,release the latching means to fix the bail in closed position, effectline spacing and return of said latching means to release the bail uponreturn movement of the link during the cycle of operation.

10. In an accounting machine, a main frame, a platen on said main frame,a front feed paper holder including a bail pivotally mounted for freerocking movement between open and closed positions, line space mechanismon said frame for stepwise rotation of said platen, latching mechanismshiftable between unlatching position and a position for latching thebail when the latter is in closed position, means biasing the latchingmechanism towards latching position, links shiftable linearly betweennormal and operated position during a cycle of operation of the machine,means on the bail positioned in the path of a link for engagementthereby to rock the bail to closed position during movement of the linkto operated position, an operative connection between a link andthelatching mechanism for releasing same for movement to latching positionduring movement of the link to operated position and for displacing thelatching means to unlatching position during return of the link tonormal position, and an operative connection between a link and the linespacing mechanism for effecting stepwise rotation of the platen duringreturn of the link to normal position.

11. An accounting machine as claimed in claim 10 in which means areprovided on the main frame to prevent engagement between the link andline spacing mechanism until the link has been displaced substantiallyto the full extent of its movement towards operated position during acycle of operation.

12. An accounting machine as claimed in claim 10 in which means areprovided for stopping movement of said links beyond latching releaseposition but before operative engagement with said line spacingmechanism.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,769,718 Smith July 1, 1930 1,825,148 Hart Sept. 29, 1931 1,917,784Walsoe July 11, 1933 1,945,026 Crosman Ian. 30, 1934 2,192,324 MullerMar. 5, 1940 2,366,468 Anderson Jan. 2, 1945 2,492,887 Rainey Dec. 27,1949 2,536,524 Anderson Jan. 2, 1951

